In "The Sign of the Beaver," what did Attean say that touched Matt?

Attean says that Matt moves quickly, like an Indian, to save them when they are confronted with a mother bear and her cub. This is very meaningful to Matt.

Throughout approximately the first half of the book, Matt struggles to gain Attean’s respect. Though Matt teaches Attean to read English, he knows that Attean does not value this skill as much as the Native American survival and hunting skills he shows Matt as they hunt and walk through the woods. Matt focuses on learning some of these skills from Attean.

Attean teaches Matt to use a bow and arrow. The first time Matt kills a rabbit with it, Attean is there. This makes Matt proud, but right away, another event occurs that is more meaningful. As they move through the woods with the rabbit, they encounter a mother bear and her cub. When the mother bear appears ready to charge them, Matt instinctively throws the rabbit at the bear to distract her. At that time Attean charges the bear and kills her. Even though Attean kills the bear, he insists that Matt saved them when he initially threw the rabbit to distract the bear. Attean says that Matt acted quickly, "like an Indian." Matt is touched. He knows he has earned Attean’s respect.